


Shattered Swordsman

by tigercry



Category: Sword Art Online (Anime & Manga), ソードアート・オンライン - 川原礫 | Sword Art Online - Kawahara Reki
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-19
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:01:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25381267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigercry/pseuds/tigercry
Summary: Liz wants to believe what Kirito says is true, she wants it to be true so desperately but... she still can't see her. Liz still can't see Asuna or hear her, something Kirito is insistent is true but... can she really hold out forever on mere hope?
Relationships: Kirigaya Kazuto | Kirito/Yuuki Asuna | Asuna
Kudos: 29





	Shattered Swordsman

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a fanfiction on fanfiction.net called "StandAlone." I won't spoil it for you guys ^-^

Kirito sighed and rubbed his temples, leaning over with a heavy sigh. He felt a hand rest on his back and the warmth of someone's leg in close proximity to his, and let his body relax a little. The wait before the boss battle was the hardest part of the battle, the silent anticipation as everyone filtered in, the now broken mess that consisted of the front line players after floor seventy-five. They had finally reached the major field boss on the seventy-fifth floor, after fighting many mini bosses and spending a few months scattered around like lost sheep.

"What're you thinking about?" A quiet voice asked him softly and Kirito instinctively looked over at the owner of the gentle hand resting on the small of his back. She was clothed in her gleaming white and red gear, and her sword Lambent Light hung elegantly at her waist.

Kirito felt the stress that had been building up for the past hour lessen and eventually vanish at her touch and the calm quiet in her amber eyes. So he gave a heavy sigh. Before he leaned against her a little, resting his body against her shoulder and sitting there in silence for a few moments.

Asuna said nothing, instead she softly hummed the BGM of their home floor and gently ran a slightly shimmering hand through his messy black hair.

Kirito gazed around at the sorry excuse of a clearing team that was left. Maybe a hundred players at the most, and most of them stayed to themselves, occasionally nodding at their old teammates. He was waiting for Liz and Klein's guild before taking the lead with them, having rehearsed his pathetic speech to Asuna a few times and received a burst of giggles and some helpful tips.

"Kirito," another hand lightly touched his shoulder and the black swordsman quickly straightened up before looking to his right where a familiar girl with pink hair and eyes stood. She was wearing her newly crafted armor, mainly white and brown with highlights of pink that was her usual flare, and was armed with her new mace and small shield. Then her smile softened, going a little sad. "Commander Asuna," she greeted with a sad but playful salute.

Kirito heard Asuna giggle a little and turned his head to see her mimic the salute, "good to see you too Liz." Then Asuna nudged him with her elbow, "go on Kirito, say hello."

Kirito rolled his eyes at her and looked back at Liz, "like what Asuna said, it's good to see you doing well Lizzbeth."

Liz pulled a face at him making fun of his name, "as much of a pain in the butt as always," she then looked grim, "you guys ready to fight this thing? It's been a little while since I've been on the front lines again."

"Being the guild's second in command does have a lot of paperwork," Asuna pointed out and Kirito nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I bet." Kirito then grinned at Liz and offered her a fistbump, "you've been busy fixing the Broken Oath, it's gotta be a lot of work."

Liz smiled sadly, her gaze lingering on where Asuna was sitting, "it is. Lots of paperwork and figuring things out. Not to mention I also have to balance my blacksmith shop on top of it and while Silica's helping, it is really difficult."

Asuna and Kirito exchanged glances and Asuna spoke to Liz, "you should really take a break Liz, it's not good for your health to be working so hard."

Kirito looked over at Liz, expecting her to respond, only to have her smile sadly at him, her pink eyes sad and a little nostalgic.

"Kirito…" Liz said quietly, "I can't hear her remember?"

" _He still talking to her?" A quiet and worried voice asked Liz as the pink haired girl watched the boy who used to be called the Black Swordsman sit on one of the ledges of the hall's pillars. A moment later he lifted a hand as if to ruffle someone's hair and spoke in a voice they couldn't hear from their position with a smile on his tired face_

" _Yeah," Liz stated with a sigh her eyes focused worriedly on him. "He still talks to Asuna, all the time actually."_

" _It can't be healthy for him," the person said and walked into Liz's field of vision, revealing a worried Sachi. "We're not even sure if she's actually there."_

" _I know," Liz replied simply, "but we have to pretend to. If we tell him that Asuna's gone, he's going to break even more." Liz leaned back against the wall she was standing next to, "it can't do him too much harm talking to her."_

" _It's more than just him talking to her Liz," Sachi insisted in her timid voice, "he thinks she's actually there, and that we can see and hear her as well. He's called Shattered Sword for a reason Liz, everyone thinks he's losing his mind."_

" _She's there Sachi," Liz insisted stubbornly there are signs that Asuna is actually there." She pointed at how Kirito's black hair was moving, even from their distance, as if someone ruffled his hair in return. "Look, if Asuna's not there then how is his hair moving like that?" The look in Sachi's usually timid eyes made her falter._

_The look was of dejected defeat, like she had accepted that Kirito was just seeing things._

" _We can't…" Liz's voice cracked, "we can't give up… on him." She croaked, pink eyes sparkling with tears, "We're his family, and… and…" her face crumpled and her voice grew hoarse and thick with emotion, "Asuna was like my sister Sachi, I can't… I can't give up on her… her and him, they're my siblings here in this world."_

" _I know," tears welled in Sachi's eyes as well, "but we can't keep pretending she's here. Healthcliff killed her Liz, there's no way around it."_

_A lump grew in Liz's throat and she swallowed hard, "just give us a chance to make sure," she croaked weakly, "we just need time…"_

" _It's been two months Liz…"_

" _Just one more month," Liz pleaded, "before you tell him. Give me and Argo just one more month to check and make sure that she's really gone." Tears threatened to fall from the blacksmith's eyes, "without Asuna Kirito will completely break. Without her being with him even just like this, his fragile state will shatter completely."_

Kirito blinked and looked over where Liz assumed Asuna was sitting,only to look lost and confused. Liz guessed Asuna had disappeared like she always did according to Kirito before and during a fight. "Oh… right." He brushed it the confusion and looked down at his shoes, "she just said to take a break and it's not healthy to be working so hard."

Liz smiled and lightly punched him his shoulder, "don't worry about me Kirito, I can handle myself. Make you to tell Asuna to stop worrying okay? I bet she's checking up on everyone and getting a base for her strategy plan. The Commander doesn't stop worrying about everyone else unless she's on vacation."

Kirito gave her a bitter smile, "yeah… that she does."

Liz smiled encouragingly at him, even though she felt like her heart was being pulled apart. Even after another month of working her butt off alongside Argo, Klein, and Agil to find evidence of Asuna still being around, the closest they had gotten was in finding the rumors of an invisibility system perk which was pretty much bogus. Not to mention that Asuna had never done anything to confirm her own presence, she rarely seemed to be around when fighting, and even though Liz had pleaded with Kirito to coax Asuna into battle, he was too afraid of losing her and had told her no. Even though she had heard him arguing with someone at a whisper when she walked away.

Now the deadline had passed and Sachi had told Liz she was going to tell Kirito about Asuna not being real, today after the boss battle. Liz didn't want to lose another dear friend, Kirito and Asuna were like her siblings, after she got over her crush on the former anyway, and now she was going to lose the other one.

Kirito's quiet words pulled her from her thoughts. "She's trying to tell you to not be so worried," he lifted a hand near his neck and enclosed his hand around something with a tired smile. His dark eyes were tired and behind the steel of a warrior laid a shattered man. "You can't see her, but Asuna's telling you she knows what the situation is." He glanced at something above his head and seemed to relax, slouching a little, "and… she's going to fix it. Wait, Asuna what're you talking about?"

Liz felt some of the painful ice in her aching heart melt and she smiled, "what's your verdict Commander? Everyone in shape for the battle?"

Kirito's eyes lit with excitement before he adopted a look of stubborness and scowled with her arms crossed over his chest. "No." he leaned forward a little like he was bumped from behind and yet he still scowled, "no Asuna. I'm not giving some crappy morale speech. That's her job," he pointed to Liz who was fighting an amused smile.

Liz could almost envision Asuna nudging Kirito and trying to coax him into giving the speech, and it gave her hope.

"No…" Kirito whined before he seemed to perk up before he frowned, "liar."

Liz rolled her eyes, "I'll do the speech Kirito, relax. He's too stubborn for his own good Asuna, how to you stand living with him?"

She heard a very faint voice of her best friend and practically sister, " _very happily despite his quirks Liz…"_ That made her breath catch and tears to threaten to fall. She missed Asuna, the Lightning Flash, Kirito's wife, and her best friend. Yet her voice was as cheeky as ever when asked the same question.

_Asuna rolled her eyes and lightly slugged Kirito's shoulder, making him whine and complain before the caramel haired girl threw her arms around him and hugged him, flashing him a perfect smile. Before she looked at her friend from where she was hugging Kirito from the side and giving her a cheeky and happy smile, "very happily despite his quirks Lizzbeth." She teased, drawing out the 'z' in her name before laughing._

In fact, for a few precious seconds, Liz could've sworn she saw Asuna standing behind Kirito with her arms draped over his shoulders. A cheeky grin on her face while making eye contact with Liz.

Asuna looked different though, wearing clothes similar to her starter gear without any crosses for the KoB. She wore a white half sleeve shirt that had shoulder cutouts in the shape of diamonds, the sleeves ending in white ribbon that wrapped around her forearms and ended in white fingerless gloves; a red mid thigh length skirt as always; white knee high stockings; creamy heeled mid calf ankle boots; had a dark red cloak fastened around her neck with the hood down; the sword Lambent Light Liz had painstakingly crafted was hanging on her hip, accompanied with the special soles of her shoes for her speed ability; and hanging around her neck glittered a golden chain with a small crystal heart next to a white gold and ruby cross, for the KoB. Asuna's accomplishment. Even so, Asuna's eyes sparkled, and softened with a tender love as she looked over at Kirito who was looking out of the corner of his eye at her. His own eyes softening the way reserved for his other half.

Liz struggled to breathe, even as Asuna's form flickered and vanished, and she was startled when she felt something wet roll down one of her cheeks, only to find her tears obscuring her vision when she blinked and focused.

"Liz?" Kirito looked at the pink haired girl, now resting a hand on his shoulder with his fingers curled like he was holding someone else's hand. "Are you okay?"

Liz brushed the tears from her eyes and smiled, a truly happy smile. "I'm okay, I just… I saw her for a few seconds." Her gaze lifted from Kirito to where she had seen Asuna looking at her and she gave a teary smile at where she knew her best friend was. "It's good to know you're here with us Asuna, we missed you Lightning Flash."

* * *

"Switch!" Liz's yell startled everyone, their main tank, the inheritor of the KoB and Healthcliff's shield, was switching out?

Kirito immediately abandoned his massive swing of his dual blades together to spin around and head toward Liz, panic overwhelming his eyes as nobody moved to take Liz's place. "LIZ!"

Agil was struggling against the boss's massive tail, his battle axe blocking the spike ball like tail from the creature, and the big man looked panicked as well.

For Liz it was like slow motion, as the force behind the bladed hand of the boss overthrew her sense of balance and she was knocked backward, a temporarily paralysis effect preventing her from moving. _Is this the end?_ Liz wondered dully as the creature roared in triumph and fury. _I fought so hard after Healthcliff's reveal, and spent months grieving over Asuna._

"ASUNA!" A panicked Kirito howled as Liz's world slowed and she stared up at the creature's now falling blades as her back slammed into the hard stone floor and she coughed. She heard whispers even as players rushed toward her, about how Kirito had really lost his mind.

And yet, Liz heard the faint and familiar sound of the ringing bell like sound of a certain rapier being unsheathed and heard a voice in her ear.

" _S...w...i...t..c...h…"_

The world seemed to return to normal speed and Liz heard and saw the screeching of metal as the attack meant for Liz glanced over to her right, the creature's blade sliding along another invisible sword with a violent screech of metal and a fierce crash of it sinking into the ground where the boss roared in fury.

Liz saw something flicker and shimmer, like pixels struggling to create a solid image, and she grinned as the form stayed stable for a few seconds. Revealing Asuna spinning her rapier around before sheathing the thin silver blade and standing above her. After a few moments the rapier user's form flickered and vanished, leaving her invisible once more, but her appearance stunned everyone, except Liz and Kirito.

However, Kirito spoke, his voice strong and firm, direct and instructive. "Tanks block the tail, DPS players, split into to groups, A and B! Group A, switch in and attack the flanks and underbelly!" His eyes glowed with a resolve none of them had seen since Asuna had supposedly died. "Asuna and I will handle the blades, Liz and Klein, aim for the weak spot on it's forehead!" His words sounded more like that Asuna would say than Kirito, but he was shouting the words, shouting the words and already in action as he ran toward the creature and swung his swords through its arms.

And Asuna seemed to almost glitch into appearance, appearing and disappearing repeatedly throughout the rest of the battle, occasionally going completely invisible even though she still helped Kirito throughout the entire battle.

Liz's smile never faltered throughout the rest of the battle, not even once.

**Author's Note:**

> So at "StandAlone's Inspiration I came up with the idea of having Asuna talk to Kyaba and get an explanation for Aincrad. Due to Kyaba's want for his game to be finished one day and knowing that without Asuna, Kirito, the hero inside Kyaba's story will break, he converts her character into something else. She's still a player, but she's invisible to virtually everyone, can't be seen or heard or she risks taking damage to her HP.


End file.
